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Celebrating Advent: 6 Unique Traditions Around the World

Processions, baking, hanging red lanterns—and roller skating to church—mark this Advent season.

People around the world celebrate the season of reflection and anticipation that is Advent in a variety of ways. Traditionally, many churches mark the four Advent Sundays, or the four Sundays before Christmas, by lighting one candle each week leading up to Christmas and the birth of Jesus. Others celebrate in different ways. Various advent traditions range from lighting homes with paper lanterns in China to roller skating to Christmas mass in Venezuela.

Here are six of the many ways people commemorate the Advent season.

Caracas, Venezuela
Credit: Copyright © 2014 Alberto Pomares

1 of 6 Venezuela

In Venezuela, religious celebrations begin on December 16, with a special morning mass called Misas de Aguinaldo. The masses continue for the next eight mornings, through December 24. In Caracas, the capital city, the roads are closed to traffic and people roller skate their way to church. Along the route, children dangle long pieces of string from their windows in the hope that the passing skaters will tug on them. After services, the celebrations continue as people flood the streets to eat, sing and dance together.


Christmas in Vienna, Austria. Getty Images

2 of 6 Austria

Did you know that Austria is the birthplace of one of the most popular Christmas hymns of all time? “Silent Night,” called “Stille Nacht” in German, the native language of Austrians, was reportedly composed in 1818. During the advent season, the original version, which stemmed from a poem written by pastor Joseph Franz Mohr, is performed in Christmas concerts and musical performances throughout the country.

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A Chinese family having Christmas dinner.
Credit: patrickchuworks

3 of 6 China

Christmas in China is known as Sheng Dan Jieh, which means Holy Birth Festival, a celebration filled with fun and vibrant colors. The Christian communities follow many of the traditions that were brought by Western missionaries. To celebrate the season, they light up their homes with colorful paper lanterns. They also decorate them with evergreens, posters and cut-out red-paper pagodas to be placed in windows. They refer to their Christmas trees as “trees of light,” while the decorations symbolize happiness.


Oaxaca Juarez Mexico. Cathedral
Credit: © William Perry 2019 Northwest Trade Photos, 4330 157th PL SE, Bellevue, WA 425-957-4593, nwtradephotos@yahoo.com

4 of 6 Mexico

Advent in Mexico is marked by a nine-day celebration also known as Las Posadas, which means “The Inns.” Held from December 16 to 24, it honors the nine-day journey of Mary and Joseph and their search for shelter on the way to Bethlehem. Every evening, a child dressed as an angel leads a procession with other children to church. On their way there, they visit several homes that turn them away until they find one that welcomes them in and offers them refreshments. The ninth evening of Las Posadas is Buena Noche, Christmas Eve. Everyone gathers to attend midnight mass followed by a celebration of bells and fireworks.


Christmas market in Warsaw, Poland.

5 of 6 Poland

Advent in Poland gets started with prayer and fasting. Poles traditionally attend an early-morning Mass called roraty. Held before daybreak, the special service uses candles to symbolize the coming light of day and salvation. From Christmas through New Year’s Day, families and businesses set up stalls or booths called Joselki which they decorate in Christmas themes. Small gifts, candy and souvenirs are distributed to people who visit the booths while on their way to church.

Christmas in Stockholm, Sweden.
Credit: mikdam

6 of 6 Sweden

On the first Sunday of Advent, families in Sweden kick off the Christmas season by attending church. On December 13, they celebrate St Lucia of Syracuse with processions that include people lighting candles and singing traditional Christmas songs. On the days leading up to Christmas, Swedes will get together to bake sweets, which are wrapped in boxes to be given as gifts on Christmas Eve. They also make a saffron-scented Lucia bun and pepparkakor, their version of gingerbread.

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